Muslim scholar raps envoys<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA: Noted scholar Syafii Ma'arif criticized on
\nThursday diplomats from Middle Eastern countries for their lack
\nof enthusiasm to study and understand Indonesian culture, saying
\nthat their reluctance hampered closer ties between Indonesia and
\nthose countries.<\/p>\n
"As far as I am concerned, almost none of the ambassadors from
\nMiddle Eastern countries in Jakarta has learned the Indonesian
\nlanguage, much less getting acquainted with Indonesia's very
\ncomplex Islamic culture," Syafii was quoted by Antara as saying
\non Thursday.<\/p>\n
"It's unfair because our ambassadors there are obliged to
\nlearn and master the Arabic language," he said at a seminar on
\nthe relationship between Indonesia and Middle Eastern countries.<\/p>\n
Syafii also said that many universities in Indonesia opened
\nMiddle East study centers, but no Middle Eastern countries opened
\na study center on Indonesia.<\/p>\n
This, according to Syafii, was an indication that Middle
\nEastern countries paid little attention to Indonesia, despite the
\nlatter's effort to develop good, strong ties with them.<\/p>\n
"A good relationship will not be achieved if Middle Eastern
\ncountries maintain this behavior," said Syafii, who is also
\nchairman of Muhammadiyah, the country's second-largest Muslim
\norganization. -- Antara<\/p>\n
;JP;IWA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-iain-curriculum
\nIAIN curriculum to be revised
\nJP\/4\/scene<\/p>\n
UII curriculum to be revised<\/p>\n
BANDAR LAMPUNG: The curriculum of the State Islamic University
\n(UII), previously known as IAIN, will be revised thoroughly and
\nthe revision is expected to be implemented in 2003.<\/p>\n
"The revision will be discussed at a meeting of vice rectors
\nof all State Islamic Universities in Ciawi, Bogor, West Java,"
\nsaid Bandar Lampung-based Raden Intan Islamic University Rector
\nNoor Ghozin Sufri.<\/p>\n
Under the current curriculum, local content only accounted for
\n40 percent of the total, he said.<\/p>\n
However, under the new curriculum, local content would account
\nfor 60 percent of the total subjects, while national content
\nwould be the remainder, he added.<\/p>\n
Noor Ghozin said the new curriculum would enable scholars to
\ncompete globally. --Antara<\/p>\n
;JP;IWA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-taufik-visit
\nTaufik Kiemas to visit Gudang Garam
\nJP\/4\/scene<\/p>\n
Taufiq Kiemas visits Gudang Garam<\/p>\n
SURABAYA: Taufiq Kiemas, the husband of President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri, is scheduled to make a one-day visit to publicly
\nlisted cigarette producer Gudang Garam, Kediri, East Java, on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
East Java provincial spokesman Slamet Suprijono said on
\nThursday that Taufiq and his entourage would take a special Air
\nForce F-28 airplane.<\/p>\n
"He will arrive at the Iswahyudi Air Force airport in Madiun
\nat 11 a.m. and will be welcomed by East Java Governor Imam
\nUtomo," he said.<\/p>\n
After Friday prayers, Taufiq would fly to Gudang Garam's
\nfactory in Kediri.<\/p>\n
"Taufiq will be briefed about Gudang Garam's profile,
\nparticularly the handmade clove cigarette unit and machine-made
\nclove cigarettes," said Slamet, adding that Taufiq would return
\nto Jakarta at 3 p.m. --Antara<\/p>\n
;JP;KHS;
\nANPA..r..<\/p>\n
JP\/4\/scene<\/p>\n
House to complete elections bill<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: The House of Representatives (DPR) is expected to
\ncomplete its deliberations on the election bill by the end of
\nJanuary to ensure that the 2004 general election can take place
\nas scheduled.<\/p>\n
Legislator Teras Narang, who chairs a House special team
\ndeliberating the bill, said on Thursday they were working on the
\nlong-awaited bill.<\/p>\n
He said although the House was in recess until Jan. 13, his
\nteam would continue to deliberate the bill.<\/p>\n
Teras added that due to the existence of many contentious
\narticles in the bill, legislators had agreed among themselves to
\ncontinue the deliberations.<\/p>\n
"I believe the bill will be ready for effective use by the
\nGeneral Elections Commission in January 2003," he added. --Antara<\/p>\n
:JP;ANTARA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-christmas-amnesty
\nYusril to announce Xmas amnesty in Manado
\nJP\/4\/SCENE<\/p>\n
Yusril to announce Xmas remission<\/p>\n
MANADO, North Sulawesi: Minister of Justice and Human Rights
\nYusril Ihza Mahendra is expected to grant special remission to
\nprisoners in Manado.<\/p>\n
Employee at the provincial office Berty Rompas said the
\nminister would announce the remission at a ceremony at Tuminting
\nPrison here.<\/p>\n
The measure would be part of the celebration of Christmas and
\nNew Year.<\/p>\n
"The minister is scheduled to arrive in Manado on Dec. 24 and
\nwill announce the remission on Dec. 25," Berty added.<\/p>\n
There are 469 prisoners in Manado due to receive an amnesty,
\n18 of whom will be released.<\/p>\n
Prisoners due to receive remission are from Manado, Tondano,
\nTahuna, Tomohon, Ulu Siau, Kotamobagu, and Bitung. -- Antara<\/p>\n
;JP;AP;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-ICG-mmi
\nIndonesian military, Islamic radical group threaten to sue
\nEuropean
\nJP\/<\/p>\n
MMI reports CGI to police<\/p>\n
JAKARTA: The Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI) filed on
\nThursday a complaint with the police over what it said was an
\neffort by the International Crisis Group (ICG) to discredit its
\nleader Abu Bakar Ba'asyir.<\/p>\n
In its Dec. 11 report, ICG accused the detained cleric
\nBa'asyir of heading Jamaah Islamiyah and said there appeared to
\nbe a "curious link" between Achenese close to Jamaah Islamiyah
\nand Indonesia's military intelligence.<\/p>\n
MMI also planned to file a lawsuit against ICG "because it has
\ndisseminated false reports that can cause restlessness among the
\npeople," said Fauzan Al Anshori, of the council, after filing the
\ncomplaint with police headquarters.<\/p>\n
The move follows a threat on Wednesday by the Indonesian
\nmilitary to sue ICG unless it revised the report titled
\nIndonesia's Terrorist Network: How Jamaah Islamiyah Works.<\/p>\n
Among their objections, they take issue with accusations in
\nthe report that the military's spokesman is in regular contact
\nwith Teungku Fauzi Hasbi, whom, it said, had ties to Jamaah
\nIslamiyah.<\/p>\n
"The report could cause public misunderstanding as it links me
\nto one of the Jamaah Islamiyah members, Fauzi Hasbi," Maj. Gen.
\nSjafrie Syamsuddin said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Sidney Jones, the Indonesia director of ICG, could not be
\nreached for comment.<\/p>\n
The ICG described Jamaah Islamiyah as a collection of
\nterrorist cells that included mostly Indonesians who had lived in
\nMalaysia and fought Christians in eastern Indonesia. --AP<\/p>\n
;JP;ANTARA;
\nANPAa..r..
\nScene-bombing-dossier
\nManado blast suspects' trial nears
\nJP\/4\/<\/p>\n
Manado blast trial nears<\/p>\n
MANADO, North Sulawesi: The dossiers on the nine suspects in
\nthe Oct. 12 bombing of the Philippine Consulate in Manado, North
\nSulawesi, have been sent to the local prosecutor's office, police
\nsaid on Tuesday night.<\/p>\n
"The dossiers were handed over to the (prosecutor's) office
\nlast week," head of the Manado Police intelligence division Anom
\nWibowo told reporters here after attending a pretrial hearing
\nrequested by four of the nine suspects.<\/p>\n
Asked about the delay in the submission of the dossiers to the
\nprosecutors, Anom said the police had to wait for the result of
\nforensic examinations from the laboratory at Makassar, South
\nSulawesi, which had only one forensic expert. --Antara<\/p>",
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